Re: Picket Line

**"* H* <J*@msn.com>**

Wrote a column about squirrels once and wow....whew....wow! Goy my home phone number and tore me to shrews for weeks...
 Defenders of the animal faith are single minded... I.e. not liberals. 
Jacqui Heriteau
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jeff Ball<j*@usol.com> 
  To: Garden Writers -- GWL -- The Garden Writers Forum<g*@lists.ibiblio.org> 
  Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 12:02 PM
  Subject: [GWL] Picket Line

  I'm now among the few garden writers in this country who has had a  
  picket line thrown up against them.   It was my own fault, but it  
  does represent a challenge to any columnist.  I happen to believe  
  that the explosion of the raccoon population in the city, suburbs,  
  and exurbs is a serious problem. So I did a column on the topic.  Bad  
  mistake.  At least my wording was very unfortunate because it raised  
  the wrath of PETA the Animal Rights folks.  I got about forty e-mails  
  35 to 5 against.  The newspaper got as many or more angry phone calls  
  and yesterday PETA set up a picket line in front of the newspaper  
  which caused the editor to go beserk.  I was not in danger of losing  
  my job, but my newspaper was not happy with me, that's for sure.   
  Today, they (Detroit News) published three negative letters and then  
  some quotes from a representative of the state Department of Natural  
  Resources who quietly confirmed I had my facts correct.  My political  
  sensitivity was what was lacking.

  Killing any pest animal no matter the circumstances is not acceptable  
  to the members of PETA.  I knew that, but it didn't occur to me that  
  my little yardening column would even get their attention.  Nancy is  
  taking high road of course.  She told me it was a bad idea to write  
  about the subject in the first place.  I now owe her a fancy dinner  
  out because yesterday I was at the hospital all day getting routine  
  tests so she had to handle the maelstrom over the phone with the editor.

  The whole incident is troubling.  PETA wants nothing to be done about  
  the over population of deer and raccoons, ignoring the public health  
  problems those two groups pose.  The legislature won't touch the  
  problem because they fear the response of PETA.  The DNR won't  
  address the issue because they fear PETA and the deer hunters.  My  
  newspaper is surely not going to let me or anybody else address the  
  problem at least in the next year or two.  So the population of deer  
  and raccoons continues to grow in areas where they have no predators  
  and are protected from hunters.  Lymne disease and rabies are two  
  very serious public health problems directly caused by deer and  
  raccoons.  I certainly have no desire to raise another ruckus, so I  
  guess I just sit back and watch - very frustrating.

  Jeff Ball
  jeffball@usol.com<j*@usol.com>
  810-724-8581
  Check out my daily blog at www.gardeneryardener.blogspot.com<http://www.gardeneryardener.blogspot.com/>
  Check out my extensive web site at www.yardener.com<http://www.yardener.com/>

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